Profile
“Our business philosophy is to work with our clients as growth partners where we are there for them at every step of their financial growth”
Sakib Manzoor,
Secure Finance Services
How many brokers get invited to birthday parties for their client’s kids?
Principal mortgage broker Sakib Manzoor at Secure Finance Services does.
The Norwest, NSW brokerage recently helped a client not only secure a loan but also arranged tradespeople to renovate the building and retrofit it to operate as a medical practice. With qualifications in construction and insurance, Sakib considers going outside the remit of a normal broker to be second nature.
“We often go the extra mile to help our clients with their building and insurance needs,” he says.
The effort is appreciated by clients, resulting in a strong referrals network, 5-star ratings on social media platforms – and invitations to little girl’s birthday parties.
“Our business philosophy is to work with our clients as growth partners where we are there for them at every step of their financial growth,” says Sakib.
204/11-13 Solent Circuit, Norwest, NSW 2153
0404 262 056
sakib@securefinance.com.au
au.linkedin.com/in/sakibmanzoor
securefinance.com.au
Sakib Manzoor
Principal Mortgage Broker
Secure Finance Services
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2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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2013–present
2014–present
2018–present
2022–present
2021–2022
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Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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2013–present
2014–present
2018–present
2022–present
2021–2022
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2022
2022–present
2018–present
2014–present
2013–present
2021–2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Choice Aggregation Top 3 Finalist for Loan Volume and Submission
Choice Platinum Achiever
2021–2022
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2022–present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
CEO of Loan Base
President and Director at Quantum Capital
MPA Top 100 Broker for the past four years in a row
Finalist, NSW Broker of the Year at Finsure
2022–present
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2018–present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Founder and Qualified Builder at Secure Builders
2018–present
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2014–present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Founder and Principal Broker at Secure Finance Services
2014–present
1997
2013–present
human resources | key media
Founder and Principal Broker at Secure Insure
2013–present
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Milestones
2022–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
2022
Excellence awardee – Independent Mortgage Adviser of the Year category at the New Zealand Mortgage Awards
2022
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2022
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
Principal Mortgage Broker
Secure Finance Services
Sakib Manzoor
“We provide them end-to-end service where we help them from shortlisting a property for purchase, conveyancing operations, application lodgement through the settlement process. We stay engaged with them post settlement to ensure they still enjoy having the best product in the market.”
Party invitations are frequently reciprocal, with Secure Finance holding functions on a regular basis to ensure they can identify their client’s future finance needs and fulfil them to their satisfaction.
It’s a formula that works well, with Secure Finance generating business growth within 40%–50% year-on-year since its inception in 2014. But 2022 has been the standout year so far, with the brokerage settling over $145m in residential loans in the 12 months to June, an increase of 50% compared to 2021.
“Last year was one of the best years in terms of number of people looking for home loans, and such high volume not only provided great income opportunities but also challenges that came with having to deal with such high volume.”
Sakib took on three more staff, as well as a new broker starting in December.
“We will soon be setting up our own loan processing centre overseas,” he adds.
He considers the success of 2022 to be a team effort during a year when he asked staff to go above and beyond.
“Since the industry faced massive shortages of staff, our existing team stepped up to the higher demands of the business and volunteered for extra hours, even working their weekends and their holidays,” he says.
“We have the best team one can ask for and we are so proud to have achieved the milestone together where all chipped in equally.”
It is good to know that staff have your back when the lending economy switches track, as it appears to be in the process of doing currently in response to central bank interest rate hikes.
Sakib says that the property market has cooled, affecting overall demand for home loans.
“There are not many new home loans; however, there is a refinance boom out in the market which we see as an opportunity as well as a challenge since a great number of existing clients are looking for better deals to reduce their burden on recently increased monthly repayments,” he says.
Sakib is keeping a close eye on any clients whose low fixed rates are expiring in the next few months and getting ready to review their files accordingly.
Despite the slower residential market, he hopes to settle even more loans in the new fiscal year, thanks to a marketing campaign targeting 6,000 accountants in NSW. He also plans more social media marketing and has further business expansion in the works.
“We will be looking to acquire existing mortgage businesses to capitalise on recently built-up back-end support and overseas loan processing operations,” he says.
No doubt there will be many more birthday invitations ahead.
“We will be looking to acquire existing mortgage businesses to capitalise on recently built-up back-end support and overseas loan processing operations”
Sakib Manzoor,
Secure Finance Services
It is not often that growth is a problem for a business.
But the enormous volume of applications handled by boutique brokerage Ortus Financial in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last fiscal year risked throwing the firm’s private banking ethos off balance.
In the year to June, Ortus settled 50% more loans than the year prior with principal Adam Rakowski writing over $160m worth.
“Having worked in the broader finance industry since 2001, it was certainly a year of unprecedented growth,” he says.
“The sheer volume of applications is likely something we won’t see again for some time.”
This gangbuster 12-month period resulted in a total loan book of over $400m in just three years since launching the business.
To be sure, the achievement is part of a wider story as the value of home loans settled by mortgage brokers collectively rose to new records nationally.
But Rakowski doesn’t want the business to be just about money or to treat customers like a number, which is a real danger when a brokerage is doing all it can to funnel applications to lenders as fast as humanly possible.
“We didn’t want to fall into the trap that many businesses do when growth becomes a singular focus,” says Rakowski.
“We don’t have a ‘grow at all costs’ mentality – it is sustainable growth that we’re striving for.”
Remarkably, Ortus lost no customers with zero refinances over the period other than existing clients selling property to re-purchase again with the firm. With zero defections, it’s hard to argue that customers had reason to be dissatisfied with the service.
The strong growth was powered partly by the property boom brought about by ultra-low interest rates. Ortus focuses primarily on residential lending with around 90% of loans placed at major banks. Rakowski also has a background in commercial lending and the firm has the potential to ramp up this line further in future.
“Our business philosophy is to work with our clients as growth partners where we are there for them at every step of their financial growth”
Sakib Manzoor, Secure Finance Services
“We will be looking to acquire existing mortgage businesses to capitalise on recently built-up back-end support and overseas loan processing operations”
Sakib Manzoor, Secure Finance Services
It is not often that growth is a problem for a business.
But the enormous volume of applications handled by boutique brokerage Ortus Financial in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last fiscal year risked throwing the firm’s private banking ethos off balance.
In the year to June, Ortus settled 50% more loans than the year prior with principal Adam Rakowski writing over $160m worth.
“Having worked in the broader finance industry since 2001, it was certainly a year of unprecedented growth,” he says.
“The sheer volume of applications is likely something we won’t see again for some time.”
This gangbuster 12-month period resulted in a total loan book of over $400m in just three years since launching the business.
To be sure, the achievement is part of a wider story as the value of home loans settled by mortgage brokers collectively rose to new records nationally.
But Rakowski doesn’t want the business to be just about money or to treat customers like a number, which is a real danger when a brokerage is doing all it can to funnel applications to lenders as fast as humanly possible.
“We didn’t want to fall into the trap that many businesses do when growth becomes a singular focus,” says Rakowski.
“We don’t have a ‘grow at all costs’ mentality – it is sustainable growth that we’re striving for.”
Remarkably, Ortus lost no customers with zero refinances over the period other than existing clients selling property to re-purchase again with the firm. With zero defections, it’s hard to argue that customers had reason to be dissatisfied with the service.
The strong growth was powered partly by the property boom brought about by ultra-low interest rates. Ortus focuses primarily on residential lending with around 90% of loans placed at major banks. Rakowski also has a background in commercial lending and the firm has the potential to ramp up this line further in future.
“Our business philosophy is to work with our clients as growth partners where we are there for them at every step of their financial growth”
Sakib Manzoor, Secure Finance Services
“We will be looking to acquire existing mortgage businesses to capitalise on recently built-up back-end support and overseas loan processing operations”
Sakib Manzoor, Secure Finance Services